


The Garden of Good and Evil

by Luminousloo



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-02 22:36:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 15,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10954140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luminousloo/pseuds/Luminousloo
Summary: Reyes would consider himself a simple man. Coming to Andromeda had been one last attempt to re-write his story, to create himself as better than he was.He had always tried to be someone.





	1. Prepare the Soil

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. Getting back into fic writing after YEARS away and I finally feel like the rust is beginning to fall off my thoughts and ideas. Comments welcome, though be nice please :-). Reyes was such an interesting character that I had to create the story I wish we had in the game, it's a crime!
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Thank you to all that have given kudos and comments. It's really amazing!

Long before the Pathfinder arrived in Karada Port he had taken his seat in Kralla’s Song. The word had come from Evfra with more than 24 hours to spare- giving ‘Shena’ plenty of time to make his rounds, go about his daily business, even enjoy a leisurely lunch before meeting his contact.

Reyes Vidal was a pragmatic man. He didn’t always take the easiest path, but he always calculated which path would get him the most in the end. Umi made eye contact with him in his shadowy corner across the room from her bar window and he winked back at her. The grumpy asari’s eyes rolled and she turned to offer her special form of welcome to a new customer.

He sat back into the shadows. Word of the new human Pathfinder had come quickly to their little corner of Heleus and Reyes could not pass up an opportunity to observe her unseen. Everyone knew of Alec Ryder, and his death must have been a blow for those higher ups on the Nexus that were so sorely in need of experienced leadership. He snickered slightly to himself. No matter how competent she was Reyes couldn’t imagine that Tann was very happy to be greeting Alec’s untried daughter instead of Alec himself. Though from his vast information network he had heard that she had proven herself repeatedly as clever, deadly and just, suceeding where the initiative had failed on so many counts. Three new outposts and a relationship with the Angara was nothing to scoff at.

The bar’s usual grimy atmosphere was somewhat subdued that day. Umi was engaging at the bar with another idiot attempting to skip out on the bill and didn’t immediately give her attention as a newcomer came down the stairs.

What Reyes had been expecting in the Pathfinder, he didn’t know, but it was not what came jogging into Kralla’s Song. The initiative issue dress she wore were such clean bright shades of white and blue she stuck out in her seedy surroundings, and her brown hair was up in a ponytail that could only be described as _perky._ It literally bounced behind her as she sidled past the upset krogan and around the corner of the bar.  

Reyes lounged back in his chair, his legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles. In no hurry, he watched the Pathfinder take in the room and chuckled. Sara Ryder was pursing her full lips, clearly upset that it seemed she was first to get there for their meeting. Eyes like a blue Earth sky slid over him as she cased the bar. She was more observant than he’d given her credit for. Time to make his appearance then.

“You look like you’re waiting for someone.” He approached the bar and gave a wave to Umi for drinks. Umi didn’t have time for his shit, he knew, and the asari slammed their drinks down with a little more force than was strictly necessary. Reyes didn’t flinch, all in a day’s work with Umi. Sara had her arms crossed in front of her chest, guarded, watching him appraisingly. As he offered her one of the cups she leaned back against the bar beginning to let that guard down as she gauged that he was not a threat. _Good_ , _just relax_ he told her mentally. Wide eyes watched him as she accepted the drink. A master of manipulation, he could put people at ease when he wanted and intimidate the hell out of them when he needed but her eye contact did something to disarm him. Her long lashes brushed the spray of freckles on her cheeks as she took several gulps from her cup. He ran his tongue around his lips. She had one freckle midway down her neck on the right side, exactly over her pulse. He wondered what she would taste like if he touched the tip of his tongue right to that spot.

Reyes’s lips curled as he took a sip of his own whiskey. The slow burn down his throat brought him back to himself. She had walked into this bar like a sorority girl in the wrong part of town and he was already caught up in the novelty of it all. It had been a while since anyone on Kadara- god, anyone in his life even before the initiative- had projected such hope and shiny newness. It threatened to mesmerize him.

He introduced himself as her contact. Codenames didn’t actually bother him that much but he fed her some bullshit about hating them because he wanted her to know his name. _You can call me Reyes._ Of course she had expected an Angaran. He sighed out his nose- to business then. He walked them away from the bar, Umi wouldn’t eavesdrop, the things that particular bartender had been privy to would probably curl his straight laced companion’s toes, but all the better to project an air of control.

She surprised him when she said she would take Vehn Terev whether Sloane liked it or not. Either she didn’t know what Sloane was capable of, or she didn’t care. He hoped it was the latter, but his pragmatic side was sure it was former. Either way he liked that she had the guts to say it. At the very least this was a way to ingratiate himself with the Pathfinder. He had his doubts that she would be able to do with Kadara what she had done on other worlds, but if she did a few favors to call in with the human Pathfinder would suit him just fine.

“You work Sloane, I’ll talk to the resistance.” He told her, sending her into the proverbial lion’s den. He wished he could be there to see it himself but he knew that Keema would give him a play by play without his having to ask. Reyes had nothing more to say and he had the distinct feeling that he better extricate himself before he fell back into thoughts of her skin and her hair and gave away more than he should. Now that he had met her and her particular brand of optimistic defiance he needed to reassess. Turning towards the exit he strode purposefully away. She probably wouldn’t like it much when he stuck her with the bill, but he was sure she would pay it. He got the feeling that she would always choose what was right, if given a choice. Before he could melt away he heard her voice call after him.

“How do I contact you if things go south?”

He was tempted to keep walking. To just raise a hand in dismissal and carry on, but he turned back and got another glimpse of those big eyes, not quite as visible now as she was back lit in the window. Hesitation hit him for a spilt second, he didn’t necessarily want to flirt, but under normal circumstances that would be his tool of choice. It wasn’t his fault that this time business and pleasure were one and the same. Deciding to meet the problem head on he found himself looking into those twin pools of blue. Without breaking direct eye contact he gave a wink that he knew through experience would weaken the knees of a lesser individual. She seemed non-plussed, he was happy to observe. He had expected the work, but he was more than pleased to find out it might be a bit of fun as well. It had been a while since he had had a little fun.

When he got to the door Reyes couldn’t help but glance back one last time. The shadows and people effectively hid him from sight and he chuckled to himself as he watched Sara give Umi a credit transfer from her omni-tool. The pathfinder seemed disgruntled but not upset, and Reyes thought maybe he had misjudged her. It was apparent that he would have to spend more thought on the problem of Sara Ryder and what she could do for him. _And too him,_ a voice in his head added and he shook his head. _Business first, then play,_ he told the voice, and he slipped out into the noise and brightness of Kadara Port, effectively melting into the daytime market crowds.


	2. Dig the Hole

Retrieving Vehn Terev for the resistance proved harder than Sara had anticipated. After a less than friendly visit with Sloane, she stood outside outcast headquarters frayed and unsure of what to do next. Reyes had flat out refused to give her a way to contact him. She shielded her eyes against the Kadaran sun and scanned the market crowds. She was just about to ask SAM if there was a way to tail that smooth talking bastard but speak of the devil and he shall appear. Lithe as a tomcat he was lazing against a market stall, grinning and watching her with those liquid gold eyes.

There was no telling what it was about him that put her immediately at ease but her answering grin was almost involuntary. It had been the same in Kralla’s Song. She’d had her guard up and he had waltzed in, served her whiskey, peaked her curiosity and left her with the bill. The man was exciting, she would give him that.

It felt like everyone she had met in Andromeda wanted something from her, or flat out didn’t believe she could do the job. Or frankly both, in the case of Director Tann. That guy was sure happy to take the credit when she made another world viable and founded another outpost, but he couldn’t give her any benefit of the doubt on things she _wanted_ to do.

This Reyes Vidal character was a new type. He seemed legitimately willing to help, handing over what she needed to extricate Terev with barely a question asked. She was so grateful she almost kissed him and from the look in his eyes she wasn’t sure that form of exuberance would be unwelcome. Clearly he was a flirt, there was no hiding it. Back in the Milky Way Sara had done her share of flirting, but in between the jumping down holes in vaults full of remnants and running errands for everyone and their pyjak there was no time for that kind of thing. If her brother were here he would recognize the predatory gleam in Sara’s eye. Damn she wished Scott were here, she missed him, and his ribbing.

Sara made sure Reyes knew that he owed her a drink. She wasn’t mad exactly, just didn’t want him to think he could get away with it again. So many people had already underestimated her and this sweet talking puppy-eyed man wouldn’t be one of them. Not if there was anything she could say about it.

 “There’s still the matter of the bill you left me with?” She wasn’t one to mince words. His nose wrinkled a little in mirth.

 “Well I’m usually the model gentleman!” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“I don’t believe you.” It was a statement of fact, and he nodded his concession, of course he was lying.

 “When you are done come to Tartarus, first round is on me,” a slow smile spread over his features, with more sincerity than she had seen yet. “I promise.”

 Oh, he would definitely be repaying the favor later, so she flashed him her most dazzling smile and turned to head off to that maintenance shaft. Before she could step away completely she felt the light touch of a gloved finger on her hand and she looked back. Reyes was still there, his eyes trained on the spot where his fingertip had caught the edge of her hand. Slowly he looked up and into her eyes again and her breath caught. He usually seemed completely calculating, and for a moment the depth in his eyes called to her, but then he blinked and his mouth curved up again and he was gone so quickly she felt dizzy.

 Her mission was finished in a blur and she called the Tempest on her comm. She was due for a meal and a short rest and some time to gather her thoughts before the next encounter with Reyes Vidal.

 

***

 

The door of his upstairs room at Tartarus did a little to keep out the music, but the pounding bass would always be the pulse of his operation. He checked in at his email terminal, nothing new since this morning, and flopped onto his couch. In a rare moment of alone time Reyes ran hands through his normally perfect hair. He usually hated it when anything about him was out of place, but a tension headache was beginning in his neck and traveling up around to the middle of his forehead. There was a half empty glass of something left on the table from the night before and Reyes grabbed it, draining it in one gulp. It wasn’t likely to help his head, but he knew the warmth in his belly would bring him back to himself.

  _My God._ Reyes massaged the bridge of his nose. Ryder had walked into the hornet’s nest and picked a fight with the queen. Involuntary laughter bubbled out of him and before he could stop it he was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his cheeks. He would have to swipe the footage from the security cameras. The look on Kaetus’s face when she had disarmed him must have been priceless. Oh he had underestimated her-that was for sure.

 He used his sleeve to wipe his eyes and lay against the couch. His mind was already wandering back to the last time he saw her. It was like night and day, the change in her from their first meeting. She was focused, determined and a little bit frazzled. It was sexy as hell. Before he could stop himself his mind was flooded with the moment when she had turned to go. He had reached for her like he was possessed. Right at the last minute he’d pulled back and just brushed her hand with his fingers. Caught, his pulse had raced and his gaze had wandered up to catch her surprised eyes. A lesser man would have been embarrassed but not Reyes. It would be simple to kiss her, and he wanted to. His hand was already on hers, he could pick it up, pull her to him so easily, but she narrowed her eyes at him in question, probably wondering if he had more instructions. The spell was broken. There was nothing he could do but smile and extricate himself as smoothly as he was able.

While it was definitely not as black and white as he had thought, she represented all that was hopeful in Andromeda, and he decidedly did not. He'd never thought someone so fundamentally good could infatuate him so completely, but there it was.

In the Pathfinder he saw redemption not only for Kadara but for himself. Redemption is an intoxicating and flighty mistress, Reyes knew from experience. Somehow he felt like this time just might be different, because Sara Ryder was different. She made him feel different.

And damn, he wanted to feel different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly short chapter. I'm plugging away at navigating scenes from the game that represent character growth I want to show to get us to the meat of the story. Stay tuned!


	3. Plant the Seed

Things settled into a new semblance of normal on Kadara. Reyes had promised to be The Pathfinder’s friend in the port and he was true to his word, feeding her info, intel and leads. In return she had helped him with a Roekaar problem and the ambush his ex girlfriend had set up. All in all she was having more fun than she had had in a while. Though other than a comment here or there the two of them had been all business. Whatever had driven Reyes to drop his walls before, well it hadn’t shown up again. They also hadn’t had a chance to be alone together since then… Her teammates were usually the best part of being on the ground, but with Reyes along she couldn’t help but wish that they would go find a different corner of the cave to shoot up.

 

“So, Ryder…” Liam called to Sara from the back of the Nomad. “Where did Vidal come from anyway?”

 

“Didn’t you hear?” Vetra was sitting up front next to Sara. The Pathfinder’s driving had not gotten any better with practice, and the turian woman was gripping the safety bar above her like it would save her. “That’s Ryder’s new crush.”

 

Sara didn’t respond, but she made sure to take the next turn a little more sharply than strictly necessary. The rover’s wheels climbed the cliff walls, effectively shutting up her companions for a few seconds at least.

 

“Oh yeah?” Liam couldn’t quite disguise the slight in his voice and Sara winced. It hadn’t been a smart idea to sleep with him, but he had been so warm and kind and _there._ Six hundred years is a long time. What’s done is done. Vetra, thankfully, had noticed nothing.

 

“Yeah Kostas, where you been?”

 

“Enough.” Sara’s voice was firm. Vetra wasn’t off base, but that wasn’t anything she wanted to discuss between scanning for bodies in the sulfur springs. It wasn’t like Reyes had done anything but make smart-ass comments to indicate that he was interested since he had touched her in the market.

 

“Oh come on, Ryder.” Vetra shot back. “Nobody cares what you do, or who you do it with.” Sara winced again. She was pretty sure Liam did, but that ship had sailed, poor guy. She honestly felt bad for him. If Scott had been there he would have told Liam to leave well alone from the get-go. Usually your brother is supposed to protect you from the wiles of strange men, but Scott knew that she could take care of herself. He had also seen more than one guy come mooning after her when she had dumped them. People were always so surprised when ‘sweet little Sara’ didn’t want much more than one or two evenings of fun. At least when things had gone south with her Dad nobody was interested anymore.

 

“Whatever you wanna do Ryder, just watch him. Ok?” Liam had schooled any emotions he was feeling and he voice sounded normal now.

 

“Damn Kosta, I already have a brother, if you remember. Do I need to put you in a coma too?” She smirked as she took another turn and hit the boosters, vaulting them over a rocky outcropping.

 

“Pathfinder,” SAM spoke up, “You are approaching the navpoint Dr. Nakamoto indicated”

 

“Thanks SAM. Ok you two, If you need a barf bag you know where they are, otherwise keep your mouths shut.”

 

Vetra and Liam were used to her by now, but that didn’t make the topic at hand any more comfortable. For the rest of the day they fell into the normal patter and routine of ground missions. Scan-follow the evidence-fight-rinse-repeat. By the time they re-entered the Kadara slums Sara had a sunburn on the back of her neck from running around without her helmet-god she _hated_ her helmet- and her low back and legs ached from running. Her eyes slid past the entrance to Tartarus as she and the others ran for the elevator.

 

“You guys go ahead…” Sara started.

 

“Whatever Ryder. Go meet loverboy. You’re just postponing the dressing down you will get when Lexi finds out you didn’t wear sunscreen.” Vetra was already calling down the vast metal elevator from above. Sara shrugged, too curious to pass up this chance to go by alone. She took a couple steps backwards and waved at her two teammates.

 

“I’ll be up soon, er, later.”

 

“You sure you don’t want some backup?” Liam called after her. She had already broken into a jog, skip hopping over the sulfer puddles towards the stairs.

 

“Leave it, Liam.” Sara heard Vetra say as the elevator began clank upwards.

 

Sara took the stairs to the upper level two at a time.

 

Tartarus was dark and bright at the same time. The neon burned halos into her eyes where she looked at them. The lower level was raging already, though it was barely evening, but only a few people lazed about the upper level talking and drinking or sitting alone. Sara ducked her head. She knew that the outcasts knew her on sight but Tartarus should be a safe area, most of these people weren’t loyal to Sloane except for their drug supply.

 

The door to the upstairs room was open, Reyes was talking to a salarian in quiet voices over a couple of glasses of amber alcohol. Sara didn’t want to barge in, but she did want to observe, so she grabbed a seat within eyesight.

It had been a good while since she had gotten to just _look_ at Reyes. The golden eyes that she so enjoyed weren’t visible at this angle, but his dark perfect hair was slightly out of place, one lock falling over his forehead. She could tell that the mysterious salarian was drinking his beverage greedily but Reyes was watching more than drinking. Finally they both stood and shook hands over the table, Reyes squeezing the salarian’s upper arm with his left hand. He turned to direct the salarian from the room and his eyes slid over the shadows containing Sara, in her corner watching him.

 

“Of course, Jestum. You can see yourself out? I will be in touch.” Reyes gestured his companion toward the exit and stood with his back to the door. Sara pushed herself out of her seat and walked as quietly as was possible in her armor and boots. The past couple missions had led to a new appreciation of the physique of Reyes Vidal and she let out an appreciative hum for his broad shoulders as she approached. She knew it was cliché but she couldn’t help herself. Coming up behind him she peeled off her gloves and dropped her hands over his eyes. He was taller than she was but her hands just reached.

 

“Surprise!” Sara called softly. The husky whisper she attempted came out as more of a squeak, but she knew he heard her. Long lashes were brushing her palms and his cheeks raised as he smiled. Warm hands covered her own. Reyes was chuckling and he held her hands in his as he removed them from his eyes.

 

“Well, this _is_ a surprise.” Reyes turned to face her, dropping her hands in the process. Sara lounged back against a table.

 

“Is it? You were just with us a day ago. Miss me already?” His eyes flicked down to the floor. She took a step back raising both hands in mock surrender. “Hey, if it’s not a good time…”

 

“No… Of course. It’s always good to see you. Drink?” He had his back to her and was pouring a drink in a blink of an eye. Not the welcome she had been expecting.

 

“Sure.” Following behind, she plucked the whiskey from him as soon as he was done pouring. “I never got a chance to say. Nice place you got here.” She wandered the room like she was perusing a high-end art gallery. Reyes topped off his drink and took his usual seat on the couch. He looked up at her and his eyes, usually so molten, were hooded.

 

“Hey, buddy. Why so quiet?” She needled him, “I finally dropped the hangers-on and now that there’s no audience all that talk was just for show? Or you can give it but you can’t take it back?” Reyes chuckled, though his eyes were on his whiskey.

 

“With a woman like you around how could I ever keep up?” Reyes smiled again, and whatever was in his face seemed to clear. Sara flopped next to him on the couch and drained her drink. “Truthfully, Ryder, Zia and I had parted ways, but that doesn’t mean I was happy to end her life.”

 

 _Ah, Ryder you are a jerk!_ Sara groaned to herself internally. Of course, they had taken out Zia’s ambush attempt less than 24 hours before and here she is, giving him crap. Jesus Christ, how could she have forgotten? Reyes had resumed looking into his drink and Sara turned towards him, the urge to comfort him overwhelming her.

 

“I am so sorry. I didn’t think… I’m an asshole! I’ll go…” Sara was scrambling to get up and Reyes reached out, grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.

 

“No, it’s ok.” Reyes assured her, “It’s very good to see you, I promise.” Snagging both their empty glasses he poured refills for them. “You must forgive me. It’s a lot of work maintaining my constant levels of perfection. Even I must take a night off now and then.”

 

“Oh yeah, obviously I spend hours a day primping for running around in every environment known to the universe getting sunburned and dusty as hell. But I get it, I do. My Dad didn’t make it past Habitat 7 and my brother had a bad time coming out of cryo, he’s still on the Nexus in a coma. You have to deal with these things, or drink yourself silly, which I am a big fan of.” She offered him her glass to clink and he obliged.

 

“Drinking ourselves silly sounds like a great plan.” He brought his face even with hers for the first time that evening. The look on his face was serious and lacked all the put-on charm of the days before. “And Ryder,” He continued “Even sunburned and dusty you seem quite perfect to me.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving towards some AU. I felt like things escalated quickly with the in-game relationship, so let's have some real heart-to-heart bonding. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Fill the Hole

Reyes Vidal did _not_ get hangovers.

 

Not even when very pretty girls (who could also kick ass) snuck into his pseudo-office and commiserated with him over whiskey. His omni-tool pinged and he batted at it with his other hand.

 

“Boss, the doctor is reporting that the Pathfinder was able to secure his formula. All is moving forward. Boss?” The voice of one of his lieutenants came in over the comm.

 

“Yeah Ronan. I heard you.” Reyes rolled over. He had stumbled back to a makeshift room he had set up in the slums around the corner from Tartarus. It was really just two storage crates that had been pushed together and a mattress on the floor, but for him that day it did just fine. He didn’t leave anything there because he didn’t own anything much to leave. One day, when this was all over, he would build himself a house overlooking the springs… But that was a long ways off. For now he would have to be content holing up in any of the number of hideouts he had access to. The comm line was still open, though Ronan hadn’t said anything else.

 

“Thank you Ronan. No further instructions for now.” The next steps were up to him. He turned on a camp lamp –no windows in a storage container- and pulled his jacket back on. There was a box of ration bars on the floor. He hadn’t eaten anything but ration bars in as long as he could remember. _Soon_. He heard that Sloane ate honest-to-god pork chops the other day. Earth pork chops. What he wouldn’t give right now for a couple pork chops and some aspirin.

 

He hadn’t intended to drink so much. It was too easy for a moment to picture Ryder’s face, in the low light. She had surprised him when his guard was down and he somehow found it easy to open up a piece of himself. In that moment it did not matter that it was dangerous sharing a piece of himself with anyone… But a woman who was witty, strong and kind? No one in his part of Heleus was any of those things any more.

 

Dr. Nakamoto’s crate was on the way back to Tartarus, Reyes liked to swing by because there were always bottles of filtered water. Reyes patted the doctor on the shoulder as he passed by.

 

“There are dehydrated exiles in the badlands and you are going to use that water for your hair?” Dr Nakamoto called out, alone for once. Usually the place was crawling with addicts looking for something when their dealer wouldn’t come through.

 

“I’m sure the exiles will appreciate that I look my best.” Reyes took a long drink and then splashed some onto his head, smoothing his hair back. A stray rag lay on the counter in the makeshift doctor’s office and he grabbed it and rubbed the back of his neck and behind his ears. “I hear the Pathfinder got the formula? She just may be good for something after all.”

 

“She did.” Dr. Nakamoto was sorting supplies “She also cleared out the Kett, which means I don’t have to patch up nearly as many people who were just trying to cross the Sulfer Springs. Now it’s just the poison water, the oblivion, the murder and the roughing people up for not paying protection fees.”

 

“Things are looking up then.” As Reyes passed by the doctor again he stopped to type something into his omni-tool. “From my latest run.” Dr. Nakamoto’s omni-tool pinged and the doctor glanced down and then back up, surprised.

 

“A thousand credits? Reyes, you live in a box and shower with my drinking water… Can you...?”

 

“Don’t consider it again. You do good work. Until next time, doctor.” Reyes squeezed the other man’s shoulder and tossed him back the rag.

 

The slums were still except for a jumpy Salarian wandering around looking in crates and boxes.

 

“All the good loot is long gone, amigo.” Reyes called to him. The Salarian started and scuttled down an alley. Tartarus was quiet at this time of day as well. Reyes relished these few hours when his ears didn’t ring with the sound of pumping bass. His omni-tool broadcast the code to the door of his room, and for a moment he didn’t see the Angaran lazily reclining on his couch.

 

“There you are, I thought you might sleep the day away.” Keema Dohrgun drawled from her stolen position of power. Reyes ignored her and walked straight to the table where he kept his drinks. “I will never understand your human need to start drinking again almost as soon as you’ve given it up for the night.”

 

“Ah, Keema.” Reyes poured himself a shot and then swirled the glass at her. “This is the best cure for hangover there is. Hair of the dog.” The shot went down in one gulp.

 

“What does an animal have to do with alcohol poisoning?” Keema tipped her head at him.

 

“Nevermind. To what do I owe the pleasure? You know it’s dangerous for anyone to see you here. As far as anyone knows you work with Sloane.” He cocked the whiskey bottle at her, an offer. She shook her head at him. Some gestures transcended galaxy of origin.

 

“Sloane’s hosting a party. It’s supposed to be a sort of open house for the locals.”

 

“What, like a meet and greet with the warlord? Just a little something for everyone who is up to date on their protection fees?”

 

“Something like that,” Keema waved a had at him, “I’m very sure. Though, a smart man like you could find a good use for an event like that, couldn’t you?”

 

“Why Keema, you wouldn’t think I would take advantage?” Reyes feigned offense.

 

“Knock it off, Reyes. This dance means nothing to me. You have been asking me for security footage and data on Sloane’s team for weeks. You’re telling me there is nothing you want to come get _yourself_?”

 

Obviously she was right. He hadn’t even told his most trusted inner circle that he was tracking the patrol shifts in the port and the badlands. He could hack the terminals that handled the guard shifts in headquarters as well. Suddenly options began to scroll through his mind like code in an encrypted feed.

 

“We would need a distraction. Something big. Maybe a fight?” Reyes poured a second drink for himself and joined Keema on the cough, sipping slowly. The hangover was abating in the wake of this new information.

 

“My. You are so much slower than usual this morning. The choice is obvious. Word is you have been working with The Pathfinder. I will secure you an invitation and you will bring her. This _will_ be something to remember.” Reyes allowed himself to smirk remembering Sara’s last encounter with Sloane.

 

“Keema, I think you may just be right.”

 

 ****

 

“What the hell was that Ryder!? Are you going on a date?”

 

Ugh, she had told him this wasn’t a private channel. Still she had thought it was only Lexi down in the research room. Apparently Gil had heard her as well.

 

“Was that the smuggler you have been helping on the ground in Kadara? I like him. He has that latin lover thing going. _Very nice._ ” Sara tried to channel her father and give him her best ‘I am your boss’ look.

 

“It’s not a date Gil. It’s work.”

 

“That’s not what you said… Whatever. If you aren’t going to date him I will. Can I call him back?” Gil lunged for the terminal and Sara grabbed his arm.

 

“Not so fast buddy. No dates with anyone until you work that retrofit out with Kallo. I’m with you, I am. But you gotta stop pushing him. I can’t have the guy flying us out of the scourge upset.”

 

“Don’t deflect Ryder!” Gil put his hand on top of hers where she had grabbed him and hauled her over to sit on one of the couches. “Now tell me.”

 

Sara looked into his eager face. “What you don’t get enough action yourself you have to live vicariously through others?”

 

“You bet.” Gil was not to be deterred. He waved his hand at her to go on. Sara heaved a big sigh.

 

“Well I can’t say there isn’t interest. It’s mutual I think, but I even went to see him yesterday and nothing much came of it, except a hangover. I don’t think my father ever introduced SAM to that particular experience.”

 

“What, so you got drunk but there wasn’t any…” He raised his eyebrows at her.

 

“No. Absolutely no,” Sara raised her eyebrows in return. “That’s was what I went there for. So that’s what he was calling about, he’s got an invite to a party and he wants to bring me a long. To make it up to me.”

 

“Oooh. That sounds promising.”

 

Sara couldn’t help but smile. If she was being honest with herself she _really_ wanted it to be a date. The video call was a return to the Reyes she expected, the one that made her woozy with a wink and a saucy smile.

 

Gil threw his arms wide in exasperation. "If I am going to be out of commission for a while because of all of this baby stuff, SOMEONE better be getting laid." 

 

"What is getting laid?" Jaal's voice came from the research room. A chorus of voices shushed him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. Water

When Reyes was 14 he had taken his stepfather’s skycab. Some kids from his school were having a party and he had known that his stepfather would never let him go, so he just took the cab and went. Sneaking and stealing had always come easy to Reyes. Talent, developed through necessity could become quite the skill.

 

The party hadn’t been anything special, but Reyes had been buoyed up by his own personal resistance. At dawn when he had quietly pulled up to their small pre-fab unit he patted himself on the back for a job well done.

 

He parked the cab silently. The rage his stepfather would display if he found Reyes sneaking back in was unimaginable. The man was ex-alliance, dishonorably discharged. Sometimes, when his stepfather was drinking or when things had gone bad driving the cab, Mamá would tell Reyes to go to him room and to not come out no matter what he heard.

 

Reyes was as quiet as possible as he stepped onto the porch and approached the door. It wan’t until he saw it that he knew something was wrong. The locking mechanism was cycling through its stages and the door itself hung off the track. Red-green-yellow-red-green-yellow. The hanging metal piece was easy to step around.

 

What he saw made ice cold dread drop into his stomach. Furniture was toppled. The wall safe was open and contents were strewn all over the room. Dishes, utensils and pots and pans littered the kitchen and the broken faucet lazily belched water.

 

“Mamá?” Reyes called. The silence spoke louder than any words.

 

At the end of the hall, in front of his room, he found her.

 

The only family Reyes could call his own laid at his feet, neck broken.

 

Because of him.

 

*** 

 

 

The breezes in the Kadara Port twilight tickled his face as he got of the lift from the slums. Well, not so much breezes as steam rising from the grates in the street, but beggars weren’t choosers, especially since he was excited for the first time since he had gone into cryo in the Milky Way.

 

That had seemed like such a new beginning. There was nothing for him left, so why not start completely over? Living in the shadows of your past is no life, so he went as far away as humans had ever gone.

 

Reyes chuckled to see that Sara was already there, and bullshitting the Outcast guard about how he should let her in because she was “kind of a big deal”. Others were entering the party with a kind of reverence and Sara was out here like a bull in a china shop. She had foregone her usual initiative blue and white for a black leather jacket and grey scarf, though her hair remained in its ponytail. She smiled at him as he stepped up beside her and gave his name. His heart gave a lurch. Oh, he was looking forward to this.

 

“Go on in.” The guard waved them through.

 

Reyes was hard pressed not to grab Sara’s hand as they entered the headquarters. He wanted to show her off, claim her as _his_ in this room full of people who were eyeing them. Well, most of them were eyeing her. It wasn’t often the human Pathfinder walked into Outcast HQ. Keema practically squealed in her excitement to see them, but her presence reminded Reyes that he had a job to do. First work and then play. There would be plenty of time for what he had planned.

 

A strand of hair had fallen loose from her ponytail. It was so cliché, but he ached to tuck it behind her ear.

 

“Sorry to cut this short but I need to take care of something.” He better go before he got caught up in some other miniscule part of her.

 

“Abandoning me already?” Her blue eyes met his, genuinely sad. His work was quickly becoming a low priority.

 

“It won’t take long. There are important players here tonight. You should mingle. Make a good impression.” He smirked because he didn’t want to leave her. “I’ll make it up to you, promise.” Quickly he turned and left the room before he stopped himself.

 

Keema would watch Sara and that would give Reyes time to get what he needed. There weren’t many guards and the ones that were on duty were lax and not paying attention. He pulled up the blueprints that Keema had smuggled him on his omni-tool. It didn’t take long for him to get to the comm room and data hub. He had a couple of bugs that he slipped onto the consoles. They would probably be found eventually, but for a little while he would hear everything that happened in this room. The consoles were easy to hack for someone inside the compound. It was almost a joke. Sloane thought her hold was so secure that nobody would dare steal her information.

 

His business concluded, he thought that Sara would more readily forgive him if he came bearing gifts. There was a storage room up ahead, according to the blueprints, and it was listed as Sloane’s personal stores. Maybe he could get a hold of some pork chops?

 

It had taken him half the time to find the comm room. The manifest he had pulled listed just about his favorite Milky Way whiskey. If he could just _find_ it.

 

“Damn it!” Reyes swore. This was not what he wanted to be wasting his time on.

 

“I should have known. You promise me a drink and a night out and here you are, going through Sloane’s stuff?” He couldn’t help but be pleased to hear her voice, even if he was caught red handed.

 

“Ryder!” He whirled and raised his hands in surrender. “It’s not what it looks like, I swear!”

 

“What, that you didn’t use me as a distraction while you were in here?”

 

“Well, Okay. Yes. But it’s for both of our benefit. I _promise_.” Her head cocked at that word.

 

“Promise? You have been making a lot of promises…”

 

Reyes heard the distinctive sound of combat boots coming down the hall.

 

“Shit, someone’s coming.” She turned to look over her shoulder and when she looked back fierce determination was in her face. It took his breath away. _This must be what it looks like at the other end of her gun barrel,_ Reyes thought. She wasn’t going to kill him, but the intensity was the same. Before he could blink her lips were on his and he lost all track of himself. Dimly he heard someone come and go from the room. His hands had tangled in her hair, beginning to work her ponytail free. Her tongue pushed past his lips and he opened to her. Willed himself to allow her more than just access to his mouth, but to _him._ His eyes fluttered open and he found her blue eyes looking into his. She pulled away, and he forced himself not to chase her mouth with his.

 

“I think we’re in the clear.” He breathed. Where was his composure? One kiss from this diosa and he was a mess. Diosa. Goddess. His goddess.

 

“Maybe another kiss, just to be sure?”

 

“Now you are just teasing me.” He disengaged his hands from her hair somewhat reluctantly, turning back to the job at hand.

 

“Try me.” He heard her say under her breath. He bit back a groan. As much as he would love to throw her down behind a crate in Sloane’s storage room he had better plans for the rest of the night. If only he could just find…

 

“Ah! Ask and you shall receive!”

 

“What, whiskey?”

 

“Ah, mi diosa, not just any whiskey. The only bottle of Mount Milgrom in Andromeda. This isn’t whiskey. It’s treasure.”

 

Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed. She placed one hand on his chest. Could she feel his heart beating like a caged bird under her hand? Eyes locked she leaned in towards his ear.

 

“I hope you are planning to share.” His hand covered hers and he wove his fingers with hers. Her hand was like a lifeline.

 

“Come on, lets get out of here.”

 

***

 

A Kadara sunset was only just lesser to an Earth sunset. Earth sunsets, only a memory, would always be held to a higher standard.

 

Of course he never watched any Earth sunsets with the woman who was at his side.

The whiskey had made her giddy, and they leaned against one another on the rooftop above Kadara port.

 

“What about you, why did you come here, Reyes?” She passed the whiskey back to him and he regarded her as he took a long drink. The million dollar question. Back on the Nexus, before the uprising that was all anyone talked about. Why did you come? What were your hopes and dreams for this new galaxy?

 

His answer changed every time, but with her bright blue eyes watching him so sincerely his heart ballooned and the truth fell out of his mouth.

 

“To be someone.”

 

Sara looked away. What she was thinking, usually so apparent on her face, was hidden. When she turned back to him her eyes were clear.

 

“You’re someone to me.”

 

She couldn’t know how those words struck him. He let them soak in, falling over him like a fine mist. Two of his fingers traced her jaw and he pulled her mouth to his.

 

What could have happened if the arks had arrived on time? If the mutiny hadn’t happened and her father was still Pathfinder? They would just be two people, in a new galaxy, finding each other.

 

“Reyes” She sighed into his lips. His nerves sparked and he was on fire.

 

He wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her on top of him. For right now it was just the two of them.

 

Not The Pathfinder.

 

Not The Charlatan.

 

Sara and Reyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments!
> 
> Some dialogue is straight from the game, some is my addition. 
> 
> I appreciate each and every one of you!


	6. Seedling

Very few times in Andromeda had Sara Ryder felt like this.

 

Never actually.

 

Strong solid arms were around her and she was floating, soaring above the rooftops in Kadara Port.

 

His kisses were like molten glass on her skin and she pulled at her scarf to give him more access. The chuckle that rumbled up through his chest drove her wild.

 

“Patience, mi diosa.” Reyes cupped her face with his hands. “I want to take my time with you.” He brushed the tip of his nose along her cheekbone, and sat her up gently so they were once again side-by-side. Sara marveled at him. Reyes Vidal, so calculating and suave, had let his guard down completely.

 

And she was falling for him.

 

His golden eyes turned to hers and Sara felt a rush of gratefulness. The usual lines on his face were smooth and his lips were swollen with her kisses. He looked relaxed in a way that she hadn’t seen before. He looked irresistible.

 

“Restraint isn’t one of my strong suits.” Sara touched her lips to his again, relishing the feeling of his skin against hers.

 

“Believe me, when I want something bad enough, it’s not usually one of mine either.” Reyes tipped his forehead to meet hers. Golden eyes met blue. The chuckle had left his voice and he spoke in a low, quiet rumble. “This, with you, is not at all _usual._ Do you understand, Sara?”

 

“It’s not?” She searched his face for any sign that he was giving her a line, but sincerity poured though every pore. She got the feeling that he wanted to impress upon her something unsaid.

 

“Not for me. Not with you.” He took her hand and wove their fingers together and then kissed her where they were joined. “Come on. Let me walk you back to that starship of yours.”

 

***

 

Goodnight kisses at the Tempest meant Sara was stumbling in, after lights out, with flushed cheeks.

 

And she might have been a little drunk.

 

“Shit!” She swore as her foot connected with a storage crate followed by a muffled scream as something large and hulking came towards her out of the darkness.

 

“Good night, kid?” Drack drawled, unmistakable laughter in his voice.

 

“Goddamn it!” Sara smacked the wall with the flat of her hand. “SAM, turn on the lights.”

 

“Immediately, Pathfinder.” SAM responded. Sara blinked in the brightness.

 

Drack looked her up and down, not bothering to stifle his laughter as he took in her hair, loose from it’s ponytail and her mussed clothes. Sara’s hands went to her neck, bare and probably covered with marks. Where was her scarf? Jesus, she must have just left it. Reyes, and his bewitching hands and mouth, had made her forget damn near everything.

 

“If you are just going to stand there, I am going to bed.” She growled at the krogan, which seemed to only make him laugh more. She brushed past Drack with a huff and practically ran out the door.

 

Mercifully the hallway was empty, though she could hear Lexi in the medbay dictating notes. The door to her cabin closed behind her and she leaned back on it. She could practically still feel Reyes’s hands on her body and she closed her eyes relishing the memory.

 

He _had_ been the perfect gentleman. Walking her to the Tempest’s dock and framing her face gently with his hands to kiss her one final time.

 

“Goodnight, mi diosa. Duerme bien” His voice had been soft as he brought his lips to her ear.

 

“I have no idea what that meant, but it sure sounded good.” Sara said out loud, to no one in particular.

 

“My Spanish language translator indicates that Mr. Vidal told you to sleep well.” SAM spoke up from his pedestal in the corner.

 

“Jesus SAM, leave me just a little mystery?” She shucked her jacket and pants on the way to her bed. “But thanks for letting us have a little privacy up there.”

 

“Of course, Pathfinder.”

 

Sara threw herself into bed, though she didn’t plan on getting much sleep tonight.

 

***

 

Reyes knew he should go back down to the terminal in Tartarus one more time, but he wanted to stay in his reverie just a bit longer. There was an apartment on the upper levels of the port that some of his lieutenants used. Reyes carefully wound his way there through alleys and backstreets.

 

What an amazing woman. It made him want to leave Kadara and all of its nonsense behind and just lose himself in her.

 

Reyes hit the apartment door lock with his fist and sank down onto the shabby couch. Slowly he drew her scarf from his pocket and ran it between his fingers. A sweet smell of something fruity and vanilla rose off of it, and he inhaled, long and hard.

 

_Ah, diosa. Dios mio._

 

His omni-tool pinged.

 

A glance at his omni-tool told him it was Ronan calling, and that could only be for one thing. He took the call.

 

“Boss?”

 

“Yes, Ronan.”

 

“The salarian has turned. Our people are in place and the mark is being watched. When you give the okay we’ll close in. Ready boss?”

 

Unfortunatly The Charlatan’s work would not wait. His hand scrubbed his face, banishing the calm that Sara had brought him.

 

He’d thought he had more time. At least one night: to revel in this person he could be when he was with her. No such luck.

 

“You know what to do. Close in now. When everyone is in place give the go.”

 

“Copy, boss.”

 

Reyes closed the call. This meant he would need to be seen, by Sloane’s people or by the self proclaimed queen herself. The party had still been raging when he’d passed by the market. Reyes pushed himself up off the couch. It was time to put in an appearance.

 

***

 

“Ryder!”

 

Sara pulled her pillow over her head. Damn Reyes, that whiskey had been good but it’s after effects left something to be desired. Her head was pounding.

 

“Ryder, god. Get up!”

 

Eyelids fluttered open. The pounding wasn’t her head. SAM confirmed on their private channel.

 

“Pathfinder, Mr. Kosta seems quite agitated outside the door to your quarters.”

 

She shoved the pillow up off her, rolling up and onto her feet.

 

“What is it, Kosta?” She jabbed at the door’s console and it slid open. Liam was on the other side, fist frozen in the air.

 

“Sara!” He yelled almost into her face. “A vidcall came in! Sloane Kelly is calling for a meeting with you!” Sara, taken aback, rocked back on her heels.

 

“What?” Maybe Sara was still drunk. Mussed hair still hung in her face and she roughly pushed it away. “Did you take the call?”

 

Liam looked appropriately sheepish. She narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Well, ah, I…” He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I was the only one in the research room. The call came in and I went up to see who it was, and I sorta… Answered it.”

 

“Dear god. What did you say to Sloane Kelly?”

 

“Well I kinda… Hung up on her.”

 

“Liam Kosta, you hung up on Sloane Kelly?!?”

 

“I panicked! I hit the button again by accident!” Liam actually took his hands and covered his face. Sara bit her lip and looked down. She was still pantsless after last night’s stumble to the bed. She scrambled backwards into her quarters looking for said clothes.

 

“Seriously Kosta, if you start a war with the outcasts because you hung up on Sloane Kelly…”

 

“I know, I know!” Liam was dancing back and forth in the hallway now, like a toddler who knew he could get in trouble. “Yeah, uh, you better get down there. I think she was mad.”

 

Sara slugged him in the shoulder as she passed by.

 

“Tell Jaal to get ready in case we have to go into the badlands. This must be big,”

 

***

 

When Sara walked into the light, at Sloane’s shoulder, Reyes lost his mind.

 

On the outside he was cool, and calm, but his insides were in turmoil. He wasn’t ready - it wasn’t time - he had just found her.

 

This was meant to be different.

 

“Bang.”

 

The perfect quip fell from his lips as Sloane’s mismatched eyes focused on him and she realized that he had won. That last moment was everything he had worked for since she took the port, and he couldn’t enjoy it.

 

Sara watched him with mixed revulsion and intrigue. He couldn’t look at her as he directed his crew and congratulated Ronan on a perfect shot. The Pathfinder did not move from her spot, though she made a hand gesture low and by her side. Jaal and Liam melted into the shadows.

 

Without making eye contact, Reyes tipped his head towards an alcove in the caves and faded into the shadows. He didn’t even know if she was following. He hoped she was following.

 

Soon enough he could hear her footfalls on the ground.

 

“Guess you got everything you wanted.” Her voice was hurt, and he winced. He didn’t know that Sloane was going to bring her, but now it was too late. He was in too deep. He didn’t know what to say, how to fix it. _Dios mio, fix it!_ He told himself. All he could think of was the Collective party line.

 

“What I want is peace. Sloane would have brought war to Heleus. We don’t have the population to survive that.” He still couldn’t turn around and look at her. Mind racing, he frantically searched for something else.

 

“Why didn’t you trust me?” Her voice broke with sadness and betrayal.

 

His heart grew leaden. This is exactly what he had feared. How could anyone so light, so bright and good, see someone like him - who only brought horror and death to those he loved - as redeemable? The problem wasn’t him trusting her. The problem was that she had placed her trust in him. He was not worthy of that trust.

 

He finally stopped, turned around, circled back and met her gaze for the first time. She worried her lower lip with her teeth and her blue eyes were so dark with fear. And something else - Hope? He clung to that like a candle in the dark.

 

She knew now, there was no getting out of it. He _wanted_ her to know. He had wanted to tell her, but there had been no way. No time.

 

Now was time for the truth.

 

“I liked the way you looked at me. I was afraid that would change.”

 

Sara’s eyes widened, and the darkness lifted. The spark of hope blossomed in Reyes’s chest and he held his breath.

 

She held herself perfectly still, her clear eyes looking back as if they could see right through him.

 

“Nothing’s changed.”

 

The words sunk into him like rain after a drought. He was parched and she was sweet and cool and there to satiate his thirst. Before conscious thought could overwhelm him he lowered his head and looked at her from beneath his lidded eyes.

 

“You have bad taste in men.” He meant every word.

 

And then he moved, pushing her back against the cave wall.

 

Hands braced on either side of her head, his mouth found hers, and fire exploded in his belly. Teeth raked at his neck, making him shudder and he could feel her hands scrabbling at his flight suit zipper. Her sandy hair was in his hands and he pulled her ponytail free, pulling her head back to bare her creamy throat to him. The freckle on her neck, just above her pulse point, seemed to wink at him. He touched his tongue to it, claiming that spot as he had wanted to when he first saw her. She tasted salty and smelled like soap and vanilla and leather and gunsmoke.

 

Her breath was in the shell of his ear as her lips came up to whisper.

 

“The worst.”

 

Armor and all he hitched her leg around his hip, flattening her against the cave wall with his body. She was a goddess, but she was also a diabla. Good and bad in one package. He took her face in his hands. It would be easy to strip her of her armor right there, but he had promised her slow, diabla or not.

 

She brought out the good in him, but he definitely brought out the bad in her. Yin and yang, good and evil, light and dark.

 

One could not exist without the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I can't thank those of you who are taking the time to read and give kudos and comments enough! When I began writing this I really didn't know where it would go or think anyone would want to read along but you are surprising me! I appreciate it so much. It makes getting out of those writing corners so much easier. 
> 
> What an awesome community our little Reyes corner of AO3 is. 
> 
> Disclaimer. I have minimal Spanish so if I screw it up I'M SO SORRY.
> 
> Thank you, thank you.


	7. Growth

As secluded as they were in their cave alcove, the shouts and congratulations of the Collective team still reached their ears. Reyes hitched Sara’s knee higher on his waist and ground his hips into her, finding no relief against the ceramic of her armor. His fingers splayed across her chest plate looking for a catch. He groaned, almost growled into the soft spot where her jaw met her ear.

 

“As enjoyable as this is, I would rather not start something here on the cave floor.” He removed both hands from her body and braced himself against the cave wall. “And with my lieutenants all within earshot.”

 

“Oh come on.” Sara ran fingers into his hair and traced his thick eyebrows with her thumbs. Reyes half closed his eyes and let the shiver run down his spine. “Where is your sense of adventure?” She quirked her mouth at him. The face he had thought was so sweet and innocent was now scheming and coy. This woman had so many facets, just keeping him guessing. He wanted to discover every one.

 

But she sighed and pulled back regarding him thoughtfully.

 

“I don’t care.” She was worrying her lip again. “But I have questions. And I want the truth.”

 

“Anything, mi diosa.” An idea popped into his head. “Come to Tartarus tonight. I will have answers. I owe you that much.”

 

“And drinks. You owe me several of those too.”

 

“And drinks” He conceded. His hand found hers and he kissed the tip of each finger.

 

“Adios, querida. Until tonight.”

 

***

Liam and Jaal were waiting outside when she came out of the cave. The sun hit her and it felt like the first touch of spring after a long winter. Liam looked at her with concern in his eyes, but Jaal just put his hand on her shoulder. Sara waved them off and strode with purpose towards the Nomad.

 

Reyes was The Charlatan.

 

He was so many things that she couldn’t keep track, so many parts of himself he had been unwilling to share with her. But he wanted her, and not only physically. He wanted her to see _him_ , he hadn’t wanted her to see the parts of him that obscured that which he felt most represented who he was.

 

_“You know who I really am.”_

 

He had said that in front of Sloane, in front of all of them.

 

She needed to think. She had said it had changed nothing, and she hadn’t lied. Seeing him as The Charlatan had thrilled her, but it wasn’t the Reyes she knew. When he was with her he pressed the core of himself toward the surface, enveloping her in its warmth. He didn’t have the words to tell her, so he showed as best as he could.

 

The ride back to the Tempest was quiet. Sara couldn’t pretend to be paying much attention and though Jaal slept in the back Liam definitely was bracing himself against his seat.

 

“Uh, Ryder.” Liam winced as she boosted them over a cliff. They fell to meet the road below and Sara pulled them into a U-turn to approach Haarfell.

 

“Problem, Kosta?” Sara sniped back. She didn’t have any patience today. Not for a lecture, or an attempt to talk it out.

 

“So, The Charlatan, huh?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“No, I, ah just wanted to say that I think he’s brilliant.” Sara turned to look at him sharply, almost hitting a boulder. She careened around the offending obstacle and then re-set them on a path toward the slums.

 

“You do? You want to date him too? Gil is first after me.”

 

“No, I mean that he handled Sloane quietly and without any casualties. She was dangerous and unstable. Reyes may be better, especially for the Initiative. We could actually get our outpost. When I was still a cop we always said a known quantity was better than an unknown. Especially if you have them in your pocket.”

 

“I’m pretty sure I don’t have Reyes Vidal in my pocket.” Sara shrugged, though she wasn’t so sure. His eyes, boring into hers during their cave tryst flashed through her mind.

 

“Look Ryder, I’m just saying. This could be good, for all parties, you know?”

 

“That remains to be seen.” She sighed, her knuckles loosening on the steering wheel.

 

Maybe, just maybe, this could work.

 

***

 

He had brought her music.

 

The terminal wasn’t loud enough to drown out that omnipresent pumping bass, but it was the thought that counted, and Reyes had sure put in a lot of thought. He kissed her gently while they danced. It was clear he was restraining the heat and passion he had shown earlier in the cave. All the better to prove to her that he was the sincerest of sincere.

 

“Sara.” He breathed her name as he ran his lips along the skin of her cheekbones. “Let me show you something.”

 

“More surprises?” She countered his kisses with one of her own, on his soft lips, the skin like velvet as she lightly pushed her tongue past the seal of his mouth. He allowed it, fully responding and wrapping her in his arms to pull her close. He chuckled when his arms hit her sniper rifle, still on her back. It was time for that, among other things, to go.

 

“A good surprise I hope.“ His hand came down to lace with hers and he pulled her towards the back of the room a twinkle in his eye. “This is the way I come down when the club is crowded and I don’t want to see anyone.” A latch was pressed somewhere and the panel slid aside revealing a back alley. Quietly he pulled her behind him out of the slums, across the puddles and to the elevator.

 

“Surprise! You’re taking me back to the Tempest?” Sara chided him as they stepped onto the platform.

 

“No such luck.” Her hand was still in his. He winked at her, slow and languid. With one swift tug he had pulled her into his arms again, right hand in hers and left hand coming up behind her head. “Now that you’re in, you can’t get rid of me so easily.”

 

The elevator was rising into the docks and Sara was surprised to see that they were deserted.

 

He led her across the empty platform and down into an alley that ran behind the market.

 

“Where is everyone?” Sara craned her neck, trying to see if the upper platforms in the market were also empty. Dusk had fallen, and the neon lights of the port were all that lit their way.

 

“For tonight only we set a curfew while we get our people installed.” His voice came floating back to her. “No one will be out unless they want to be arrested as an Outcast.”

 

“And you? They wont stop us?”

 

“I know where to go.”

 

They had come upon another panel that looked very much like the maintenance shaft that had led to Vehn Terev. Once inside it went under the street level for a ways and then began to climb.

 

Finally, they came to a dead end. Reyes keyed a code into his omni-tool and the panel slid aside.

 

The room was the most luxurious room she had seen in Andromeda. A large bed stood in a corner, draped with blankets and textiles in saturated colors. There was a very large couch and coffee table in front of it, and another couple of chairs with a table between them under a window. The Windows! Sara barely held in a gasp. Windows on each wall overlooked the port below. She realized she would be able to see the badlands in the distance if the sun was still up.

 

“The glass is chameleon glass. We can see out but no one can see in.” Reyes had let go of her hand and now stood in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets. He looked like he was waiting for something, and peeked out at her from under his eyelids.

 

“Oh my god. What is this place?” Sara could not imagine anyplace so _comfortable_ anywhere in Kadara, much less Heleus.

 

“This room was intended for Sloane. We’re at the top of the old Outcast HQ building right now. Though I know Sloane preferred to bunk with Kaetus, or sleep in her throne downstairs. She didn’t trust her people enough to let them out of her sight. I had Keema add some touches for us though.”

 

“Keema! Shouldn’t she be here, as the face of The Collective?”  
  
“She has a perfectly nice setup that she wanted to keep. Her loss, our gain.” He winked at her again, though it was obvious that he was still anxiously awaiting her response. “Do you like it?” he grinned at her, looking as much like a little boy as she had seen him. Sara ran to his arms and he picked her up, armor and all.

 

“It’s amazing.” She sprinkled kisses all over his face.

 

***

 

He hadn’t realized that he was holding his breath. When she ran into his arms it all came out of him with a woosh. Her smiling face even with his made his heart race and he gently put her on her feet again. All day, since the caves, he had been waiting for this moment. Alone, at last, all the time in the world between them.

 

“Now, what do you say I lose some of this gear?” Sara gave him that lopsided smirk that he was growing to adore. The guns came off and she dropped them on a table by the entryway.

“I’d say we’re covered should any angry Roekaar come barging in.” Reyes laughed watching her remove two rifles from her back and a pistol from her hip.

 

“Oh you’ll be thanking me if that happens. These are the best in the galaxy.”

 

“I don’t doubt it.” Reyes bit his lip, unable to look away as she stripped her armor.

 

She was walking back towards him, her armor dropping to the floor as she went. First the leg panels, and then the arm followed by the chest piece. Her under suit did not leave much to the imagination and Reyes was quickly overcome with longing. Sara’s hands went to her hair and she pulled out the ponytail, caramel-colored tresses falling down around her shoulders.

 

“Ah, querida…” The words fell from his lips unbidden.

 

She was irresistible. His goddess. A vision to him, with creamy skin and black spandex. He closed the space between them in a few steps and picked her up again. Her hands went to his collar, working at the zipper there, pulling it down, exposing his skin. Everywhere her little fingers touched was hot on his body. His need to diffuse the broiling energy in his stomach overwhelmed him and he turned towards the big bed, setting her on the edge. Fingertips found purchase on the zipper of her under suit and he pulled it down exposing shoulders speckled with freckles. She pushed the under suit down her arms impatiently and then put both hands on his bare chest, pushing him backwards. Standing up, she hooked her thumbs into the suit at her hips and wriggled it to the ground exposing the black lace of her bra and panties. Reyes growled when he saw them and grabbed her by the waist, pushing her back on the bed. One of his boots came off, then the other and his jacket and flight suit were not far behind. In only his boxer-briefs he followed her onto the bed, covering her body with his.

 

Skin to skin he relished the glory of the moment. His kisses traveled from her temple, down her neck and to the curve of her shoulder where she hastily pushed her bra strap out of his way. Kneeling between her legs he thrust one arm behind her back and hoisted her up to sitting where he could get at the clasp of her bra. Her eyes sparkled, like water in the pools of the Sulfur Springs as she stilled him in his haste with a soft kiss on his lips.

 

“What happened to slow?” She murmured against him as he got the bra clasp undone. She covered herself, holding the bra to her breasts. Reyes let his hands skim her sides until he found a place to rest them on her hips.

 

“Slow was well and good, until I saw you like this.” He couldn’t take it anymore and he brought his mouth to her neck again, following the freckles as they dusted her neck and chest.

 

“Oh!” She cried out as he nipped at the skin there. The bra fell from her hands exposing two pink pert nipples and Reyes lavished them with his tongue. She was keening and writhing against him as a result of his ministrations, her fingers combing through his hair and fingernails digging into his neck.

 

He pulled himself back to take a long look at her, marks forming on her neck and chest, breathless and wanting for him. Slowly he hooked her underwear with his fingertips and drew them down her legs, following in their wake with his mouth and tongue. He stepped back to discard them, and his own underwear, and returned to his position between her legs. He took in the sight of her, panting and naked in the bed he had created for them and knew that somehow, he had fallen down a rabbit hole that he wasn’t likely to return from soon.

 

“I want you to know something.” Reyes brought his face close to hers, voice low and serious. “Whatever I do outside these walls, whoever I am, when I am with you I am just Reyes. I have been more him these few days with you than I have been since… For a very long time. Please. If you take anything away from tonight, let it be that.”

 

She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against his and a shudder went through her, he could feel it as he held her in his arms. Then she was kissing him, digging fingernails into his back and pulling him to her, pulling him up and into her warmth at the center of her core. He felt himself resist for only a second. There was so much more he wanted to do, to show her how much he cared, but he could only hold out for so long. He felt himself enter her slowly, her muscles clenched around him, warm and wet and so very good, and Reyes bit back a groan.

 

He buried himself in her fully, letting himself go, losing himself completely in her searing beauty and brightness until she shattered around him and he could hold back no more.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy! We are now in mostly uncharted waters. I skipped the scene in Tartarus because I find it mostly unsatisfying, and hopefully what I have done adds more than enough. 
> 
> Again, thank you to those that are commenting and giving kudos. It gives me life!
> 
> I have more to tell, but I may end this fic at the same point the game's story ends and continue post game stuff in another. My goodness who would have thought it would turn into a multi-story arc?
> 
> Hope you enjoyed.


	8. Bud

Sunlight through the windows woke Reyes the next morning. At first he thought he was dreaming, as he had dreamed many nights since Sara Ryder walked into his part of Heleus. The warm, strong, very real woman in his arms stirred slightly and he came back to himself.

 

This was not a dream.

 

He opened his eyes and looked down into the face of his diosa. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were just parted. Sandy hair fell down over her face in waves and Reyes resisted the urge to push it back. He didn’t want to wake her, not yet, when she was so peaceful. The freckles on her shoulder stood out in the sun. He had traced them with his tongue only the night before. He shivered as he remembered the night they had shared. No lover had ever bewitched him like this one. Sara Ryder was glorious.

 

Reyes pulled her tight, into the circle of his arms, and she groaned slightly, moving a hand up to her eyes. Long eyelashes fluttered open and a grin pulled at her mouth when she saw him.

 

“Morning.” She stretched up to kiss the corner of his mouth. Reyes couldn’t help but smile back. He returned the kiss, deepening it more than he had intended, making her giggle. “I could get used to this.”

 

Reyes released her to roll onto his back, stretching like a cat. Sara took the opportunity to run her fingers over his chest, sending delicious tingles down his spine. His omni-tool pinged, with wonderful timing as always. He turned to retrieve it from the floor.

 

“Don’t tell me you need to go?” Sara whined, pushing herself flush with his back. He could feel her naked breasts against him and he bit back a groan.

 

“No, mi diosa.” He got up and found his pants, pulling them up and on. “But unless you want Keema’s people to see you indisposed you’ll need something to wear. She sent breakfast.” His shirt lay discarded on the floor and he tossed it up to her where she pulled it over her head.

 

It seemed as if all of Sloane’s best stores had been pulled out for the occasion. Sara and Reyes shared a table under a window looking out at Kadara Port and laden with food Sara hadn’t had even in the Milky Way.

 

 

***

 

Of course it wasn’t long before something really did call Reyes away, and Sara was left to wind herself back to the Tempest. The night had been glorious. One of the best of her life. But that didn’t answer the question, what does a Pathfinder do when she is falling in love with one of the most dangerous men in Andromeda?

 

The market was teeming, Sara was happy to see. Only one night from the collective’s takeover and things seemed bright and busy in a way that it had never seemed under Sloane. The sounds of drunken revelry wafted from Kralla’s, even at this time in the morning, and several more merchant stalls had sprung up overnight, their proprietors calling to her as she passed. Sara felt a warmth start under her ribcage. This was all because of Reyes. He had freed these people from their oppression. As much as he said he was not a good man, and killing Sloane in an unfair fight was definitely not the hallmark of a good man, Reyes was bringing the best possible outcome to the most people. Right?

 

“Pathfinder.” SAM spoke up in her ear.

 

“Yes SAM?”

 

“The envoys from the Nexus will be arriving at the outpost site in an hour.”

 

“Tell the crew to get ready” Sara started, but Sam was already talking again.

 

“It will be somewhat difficult to assemble the crew. I believe Drack is closest at hand in Kralla’s song, but he is not conscious currently.”

 

“Really?” Sara let out a huff. _The cat’s away and the mice go play, I guess._

 

“Lieutenant Harper is aboard the Tempest, Pathfinder.” Of course. By-the-book Cora, the person who could most use the break, was working.

 

“Alright SAM, tell her to suit up.”

 

***

 

The outpost site was bustling with people. The exiles in Kadara had come out to see the Nexus envoys, to see that those people were really bringing them back into the fold.

 

People were unloading crates off shuttles and beginning pre-fab construction as Sara and Cora walked onto the site. Drack followed, somewhat slowly.

 

“I thought you told me that your kind don’t black out, old man.” Cora called back to the big krogan. Drack groaned.

 

“I don’t know what Umi puts in her ryncol.” Drack was rubbing his head “If that stuff could even be called ryncol.”

 

“I didn’t know that you krogan were that discerning. Isn’t ryncol basically lighter fluid?” Sara had so rarely seen Drack faltering that she couldn’t help but tease.

 

“Alright kid, I get it. Hey, isn’t that your smuggler? Isn’t he a bit high up to be unloading crates in Ditaeon?”

 

Sara swiveled around. Reyes? Why would he be here? Sure enough, the light gleaming off of a familiar the sweaty muscled back caught her eye.

 

“Not bad, Ryder. Crime lords aren’t usually my thing, but I can get behind physique like that.” Cora said, close by Sara’s side.

 

Reyes was unloading heavy crates from one of the shuttles, the top of his flight suit was tied around his waist and his undershirt was soaked through as he worked in the hot Kadaran sun. Collecting herself, Sara moved closer.

 

“All right boys, this one is done. Take a break until the next drop.” Reyes signaled to the men around him and then sat down on a crate, taking a long pull from a bottle.

 

“Well, well. If I had known what kind of eye candy they had in Ditaeon, I might have come down sooner.” Sara called. Reyes started and turned to her, that slow grin of his spreading from cheek to cheek.

 

“Ah, señorita. If such lovely ladies are going to be regulars in Ditaeon then I am in the right place.” Reyes winked at Cora, she blinked back at him, unmoved. “What brings the Pathfinder team by our little corner of the galaxy?”

 

“Oh you know, just checking on the progress on the outpost here. It looks like they have some good people. Some of the locals, I guess?” Sara tipped her head at him with a question in here eyes.

 

“I told you, Ryder.” Reyes brought his voice low. “This outpost is important to me too. I brought a team of my men to make sure it got off to a good start, and to make some contacts.” Sara’s eyes grew wide.

 

“Contacts? But you can’t tell them you’re…” Reyes raised a hand.

 

“Of course not. I am just Reyes Vidal, smuggler, Nexus exile and citizen of Kadara. For all they know I am a volunteer here to do my part.”

 

“If you two are done flirting.” Drack bellowed from behind. “I think the Nexus brass are waiting.”

 

Sara blinked, she’d completely forgotten. Cora put a hand on her shoulder.

“Right. Of course. Carry on.” She smiled at him, watching how his lips quirked up to match hers. The next shuttle was approaching and Reyes turned to watch as it landed. “Cora, Drack. Go find the Nexus team. I need just one more minute.”

 

“Come on, you old man.” Cora took a couple paces away. “Pathfinder. We’re on comms. Just in case.”

 

“Just in case of what?” Reyes tipped his head down at Sara. Even with space between them Sara could feel the electricity they shared.

 

“Oh, I’m sure Cora thinks that you could corrupt a nice girl like me.”

 

“Does she?”

 

“What she doesn’t know is that you are the one volunteering your time to help the outpost and I am the one thinking about every private place within dragging distance right now.” She bent over under the pretense of checking the labeling of the crate he was sitting on, tilting her hips seductively. She could feel his eyes on her.

 

“As good as that sounds,” Reyes sounded a little strangled. “I’m not positive Addison would appreciate you skipping out on pathfinder duties.”

 

He was right, and she knew it. She had reconciled the idea of being with The Charlatan, but that didn’t mean she could throw work and duty completely away. Unfortunately. She stood to scan the outpost site and saw Cora and Drack across the way with a group of nexus officials squinting in the Kadaran sun.

 

Reyes raised a finger and gently touched her cheek, golden eyes soft.

 

“Until next time, mi amor.” He stood as his men returned to begin unloading the newly landed shuttle. “I look forward to it immensely.”

 

He joined his crew and Sara watched for a minute before she turned her back.

 

There was nothing to do but her job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading along! A bout of sickness hit my family so I had to take a bit of a break, but were still going, and so is this fic. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are AMAZING!


	9. Flower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy! For those that have been following along I SOOOOO appreciate it! I had to take a break from this fandom for a bit, but I am feeling revitalized (thanks to Reyes Vidal appreciation week).
> 
> I am getting a tumblr started under the same name! Feel free to follow me there. I also welcome prompts for one shots or drabble. 
> 
> Enjoy!

He had no idea it would be like this, having a relationship. Him, stuck on Kadara while The Pathfinder, darted all over Heleus. He could keep up with most of her goings on through his contacts at the Nexus, or what Sara told him directly, but mostly she kept the details to herself.

 

Without all the details Reyes found that he _worried_. It had been a hell of a long time since Reyes worried about anyone.

 

Reyes was pacing his Tartarus room. He flicked his Omni-tool, bringing up the message there for the fifteenth time in as many minutes.

 

_To: Reyes Vidal_

_From: Vetra Nyx_

_Hey Vidal,_

_We just finished our run on the Archon’s ship. Maybe this isn’t my place, but I think Sara could use some help, I don’t know._

_Some things happened aboard that ship… She should probably tell you._

_Anyway we’re gonna be at the Nexus soon. I don’t know if you can get away._

_I don’t think that she would tell you to come herself._

_You said I owed you one, right? Consider it done._

_-Vetra_

Reyes opened a blank message to reply and just as quickly closed it.

 

Sara needed his help? But she didn’t ask.

 

He wanted to drop everything and take his shuttle to the Nexus. His hands opened and closed helplessly against his thighs.

 

There was an unspoken agreement that business was separate in their relationship. A surprise visit to the Nexus starts to blur the lines and Vetra didn’t even send specifics.

 

What could have happened on that ship?

 

His fingers opened a com channel on his omni-tool.

 

“Boss?”

 

“Prepare my shuttle. I’m making a trip.”

 

___

 

The apartment on the Hyperion would always feel like her father’s and never feel like hers. Sara lay on the bed, the various monitors and systems holding all her father’s secrets, surrounding her. The concerned tones of Liam and Cora filtered through the door, and Sara pulled a pillow over her head.

 

Sam had killed her. Stopped her heart. What was so hard to understand about that?

 

She shoved the pillow off, and heard it’s soft thud as it hit the ground.

 

So she goes to all the trouble to get the location of Meridian, and then Tann tells her to stand down. She was starting to see why the rebellion had happened in the first place. Meridian was the key to all of Heleus, and Tann couldn’t see past the tip of his lizard nose to look at the big picture. An angry grunt escaped her, and the sounds of voices from outside quieted. Sara pushed herself up on the bed, yelling towards the door.

 

“Jesus! You two are like mother hens. How many times do I have to tell you that I am FINE.” Leaning down, she grabbed for the fallen pillow, launched it towards the closed door.

 

“Pathfinder” SAM popped up in her ear. “I thought you would like to know that Mr. Kosta and Ms. Harper are no longer stationed outside the entrance.”

 

“Oh.” Sara’s mouth snapped shut. Great. Now that creepy guard that’s always stretching out there thought she was a nutcase. Regardless, maybe that shitty coffee maker of her dad’s still made a decent cup.

 

The thing groaned to life at least. She found comfort in the monotony of the task. Add the water, check. Add the grounds, double check. It looked like there was not much left of her father’s stores. Most things had been seized by Nexus brass when the Hyperion had docked all those months ago. A team that had been running for so long without backup sorely needed the supplies.

 

“At least they left me a token of their appreciation.” Sara closed the mostly empty bag of coffee grounds and put it back in the cupboard. Being on the Tempest had that going for it. Vetra was _always_ able to procure coffee. Her dad’s old coffee maker made some indiscernible noises but eventually got down to business. She had forgotten the smell of her father’s favorite blend, but as soon as the dark liquid began to fill the cup memories flooded her. Mornings after her father had barely slept and he’d clutched a mug in his hands so that he could keep going, keep fighting that deadline set by her mother’s doctors.

 

Sara’s hands clenched on the countertop, the corner biting into her palms.

 

“Dad.” She gazed at the hot liquid and the machine that it emanated from, as if her father’s spirit could call to her from the great coffee beyond. “I hope it all was worth it. Everything you worked so hard for and left here with me. This isn’t even the first time SAM had to save my life.”

 

Once again, Sara wondered why. She couldn’t imagine that she wouldn’t fuck it all up somehow. If it was so clear to her that their next stop was Meridian, and Tann couldn’t see that, maybe she already had.

 

A soft knock came from the door. Someone else from the Tempest must have been sent to check on her. Sara, hit the coffee machine, stopping the flow of the life-giving substance and grabbed the full mug. It felt comforting in her hands.

 

“Ok, I swear. What is it now?” She called towards the door. A muffled voice responded, and she punched in the code on her omni-tool. “Come in, I guess.”

 

The door swished open and a pair of footsteps entered.

 

“You guess?”

 

The low rumble of a voice was not what Sara was expecting. She had thought Mama Harper or Big Brother Kosta had decided to try a new tactic and send Jaal, or Vetra or even Peebee.

 

But a voice like that could belong to only one person she knew, and it wasn’t someone she was expecting to be _here_ on the Nexus.

 

Sara put her coffee mug down, sloshing some onto the counter top, but she didn’t care. Almost stumbling her way around the bookshelf.

 

Reyes Vidal was standing in the entranceway to her father’s apartment.

 

Reyes Vidal was here.

 

Reyes.

 

“Oh!” Sara couldn’t contain her surprise. He looked like a mirage, standing there next to the potted fern, his hair a bit disheveled as if he had run his hands through it too many times. Golden eyes were watching her with concern, even though a small smirk tugged at his lips. His flight suit had been traded for dark pants and a blue sweater, and it set off his dusky skin.

 

“Well I thought SAM brought me back to life after the Archon’s ship, but clearly I must still be dead.”

 

Reyes lost the smirk, shock and concern coloring his features. The little furrow between his eyebrows deepened and Sara couldn’t help but feel a little weak in the knees.

 

“What?! Vetra just said something had happened. She didn’t say what.”

 

Reyes covered the ground between them and brought both his hands to frame her face as he searched it. Their eyes met, and even though she had said she was fine, everything she had been holding back seemed to rise to the surface.

 

“It’s ok. It really is.”

 

Sara removed his hands from her face and turned around to retrieve her mug of (mostly sloshed out) coffee. Cradling it in her hands she went to the edge of the bed and sat down. If she was going to have this conversation she needed to gather her thoughts.

 

Emotions that she didn’t understand and hadn’t faced were already overflowing in her eyes.

 

To his credit, Reyes didn’t push her. He perched on the bed next to her, and slung a comforting arm around her shoulder. Sara couldn’t help but lean into the warmth of him. The crook of his arm was like a secret hiding spot she never wanted to leave.

 

“Mi diosa. What happened? You can tell me.” He kissed the top of her head.

 

Sara did not have a lot of experience with love. Familial love, she had, albeit strained with her father. Scott loved her, in that special twin way they shared. He could be her best friend, or her worst enemy. There were boyfriends, but nothing too serious, mostly because that was when things got really bad with her mom.

 

Reyes was there, when she didn’t even know she needed him. Out of the blue with his concerned eyes, and his Spanish endearments. She swiped at her eyes with her hand, though the tears continued to topple over her lids.

 

“The Archon, we found him.” She started, Reyes pulled back to look at her face as she spoke. “ We got ourselves into some sort of trap. We couldn’t move, couldn’t get out. Sitting ducks for the Archon and his people.” Her hair was down and falling in her face and Reyes took the opportunity to brush it out of her eyes.

 

“How did you get out?” He asked gently. He could be so gentle. This man who could hide in shadows and kill in cold blood could also kiss her so sweetly and comfort her without reservation.

 

“SAM stopped my heart.” Sara looked down at her feet. It wasn’t until this moment that she realized how very scared she had been. Her crew had looked to her, and she had hidden it, but in that moment when her heart had stopped there was no way of knowing if it would start again. She had to trust, and trust didn’t come easy for her. It was the same reason she hadn’t told the very man sitting beside her about what had happened.

 

But he had come anyway.

 

“The trap was keyed to my biometrics. If I didn’t have any…” Sara continued and Reyes cut her off.

 

“If you had no heartbeat then there was nothing to trap.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Ah. Diosa.” Reyes pulled her chin up to look at him. “Sara.”

 

His lips met hers gently, the salt from her tears mingling with the taste of him, leather, engine oil and gun smoke. His hands were back on her face and she couldn’t help but throw her arms around him, one on his back and one on the back of his head.

 

Want pooled in her belly and she let out an involuntary sob, overwhelmed with the sheer _feeling_ of the moment.

 

Reyes broke away.

 

“Please, diosa. Mi querido. Please don’t do that again.” He settled his nose into the hollow below her ear and his breath brushed across her skin. “Vetra didn’t tell me what was wrong, she just told me _something_ was wrong… I have never…” He cleared his throat.

 

“Te amo, mi querida. I love you, Sara.”

 

The bottom if her stomach fell out.

 

This man was here, fully, emotionally and physically for her.

 

Sara had been weeping tears for all she had lost, but now she had tears for all she had found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again!
> 
> The comment-ers and kudo-ers are my heros!


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